Owls of the Marsh

There are few sights in the natural world that can rival watching a Barn Owl hunting silently and ghost like at Dusk. Despite facing various environmental issues that include the loss of habitat, and changes in farming practice. It would not be uncommon to see either barn or wintering short eared owls hunting along the various ditches and scrub of Kent marshland. Whilst the short eared owl is relatively hardy, the barn owl is incredibly vulnerable. It struggles to hunt in wet and windy conditions, and if forced to hunt during the day through hunger. It will frequently be robbed of its quarry by other predatory birds like kestrels. We must do our utmost to protect them.

The Barn Owl is a schedule 1 protected bird under the wildlife and countryside act 1981. For this reason the exact location of sites will not be disclosed.